Most believe that animal testing helps make medical, household, beauty and other products safe. In reality, it is proven statistically that animal testing is ineffective in medical testing, so much that many scientists and researchers are moving away from it. In household and beauty products, it’s factually proven that there are no raw or finished materials in either market that have not been extensively tested on animals as well as used by humans for decades and decades. It’s also not required in the U.S. that household and beauty products be animal tested. Why many companies such as Unilever, Proctor and Gamble and others continue to conduct animal testing is uncertain given this. The fact that hundreds of thousands of cancer-causing chemicals are reported in household, beauty, and other products demonstrates that somehow, products that can be harmful to humans (and all living things) are allowed in our world anyway. Many countries have already made animal testing illegal, and thousands and thousands of companies no longer do it.

Many also don’t realize that animal testing for these purposes include on animals of all kinds. Cats, pigs, horses, mice, fish, primates of all kinds, and dogs — especially one specific breed of dogs: Beagles. Beagles are bred and chosen for laboratory testing for their gentle demeanor, desire to please, and ability to endure the abuse and pain of testing better than other breeds. They’re chosen also because they are able to sustain the horrors of living in the laboratory environment — cold, empty cages, no bed, toys or sunlight — aside of the painful experiments. Laboratory animals such as beagles spend their entire life in the lab, from the time they are puppies until well into their adulthood, enduring relentless and endless testing. There are some laws and regulations about treatment for pain and other side effects, but they’re not great and not always enforced or practiced. Most of the animals do not survive or make it out alive. Those that do survive the years of testing are usually euthanized once no longer of use to the laboratory.

The Beagle Freedom Project was created to help these animals, as well as all animals in the lab testing system. The organization rescues and rehabilitates beagles and other lab animals through its network of fosters and supporters. It has included flying around the globe to laboratories willing to release their test animals, and has resulted in hundreds of beagles (as well as cats, rabbits and other animals) being rescued and saved. Additionally, Beagle Freedom Project drives legislation to require the release of lab animals after testing is completed (versus euthanasia), raises awareness and helps consumers adopt a “cruelty-free” lifestyle through buying household and beauty products that are not tested on animals.

The organization shares the stories of their rescues and animals that they’ve saved, and helps consumers understand the facts about animal testing. As pet owners, animal loves and many of us cruelty-free consumers here at Kuddly, we couldn’t be more thankful that Beagle Freedom Project is helping to save lab animals everywhere, and hopefully someday put an end to animal testing forever.